This is love
by peaceofmindalchemist
Summary: Because they're there for each other. Because they understand each other Because each would do anything for the other. Because they're in love. Ran FanxLing, 100 themes. I just love this pairing! Chapter 39: Shadows
1. Childhood Friends

**A/N: I was reading an EdWin 100 theme fanfiction and I**__**thought "Poor Ling and Ran Fan get no love. I'll use some of these themes to write them a 100 theme fic! This will either turn out really good, or disasterous. I'm not making any promises. **

**Note: These themes are taken from several different pairings. RoyAi and EdWin are the main two, but they won't all be from the same pairing so please don't get confused!**

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**Childhood Friends**

All his life she had always been there for him, watching him, protecting him. All his life he had taken her for granted.

Looking at her now, he knew.

She had never been just his bodyguard. She had always been his friend.

There for him, through the good times and the bad, she'd never let him down. Isn't that what friends do?

But he was realizing, not for the first time, that she was even more than a friend.

He loved her.

He wished he knew how to form those words, how to tell her.

But he didn't.

So until the day that he did, she would remain his best, his only friend.

**A/N: So? Love it? Hate it? Review and tell me what you think!**


	2. Pain and Wounds

**Note: These themes were taken out of several different pairings, mainly RoyAi and EdWin. Do not get confused!**

**Disclaimer: Obviously I do not own FMA, thus I write FanFiction.**

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**Pain and Wounds**

He couldn't stand to see her like this.

Bleeding. Hurting. Dying.

He tried to avoid looking at the gauze-wrapped place where her arm had been before. He couldn't bring himself to see it and yet he couldn't look away.

He wondered if she would go with the automail. She probably would, knowing her. After all, she would have hated to be useless to him.

The sleeping figure stirred and then she was looking at him.

"Young Master," she mumbled quietly. She sounded almost guilty.

He shook his head.

"I told you, Ran Fan," he said quietly, "Call me Ling."

She shook her head, but smiled.

"I guess I'm useless to you now."

He violently shook his head.

His voice came out as a low whisper.

"No. You could never be useless to me, despite how many limbs you're losing. I won't give up on you, no matter what."

"Why? I failed you, Ling. You could have been hurt, even killed! I deserved what I got."

"Don't worry about me!" He was yelling now, angry. "Worry about yourself! You're the one who was hurt, not me! You were amazing out there, Ran Fan! You saved me!"

He didn't realize he was crying and she didn't point it out.

Because some of the most painful wounds cannot be seen on the skin.


	3. Death

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA**

**Note: These themes come from several different 100 theme challenges from several different pairings, the main ones being RoyAi and EdWin. Don't get confused!**

**Death**

_This can't be happening. _

She looked at the mangled body before her.

This was her fault.

She had _let_ this happen.

_No._

The man had come out of nowhere. They had been waiting for the humonculi to arrive, and suddenly a man had come out with a sword and attacked them.

Ran Fan knew this man as the leader of this country.

King Bradley.

Why hadn't she sensed him? He was obviously a humonculous, or at least working for them.

And she had let him close to the young master, and now the young master was dead.

And it was her fault. She had jumped up, ready to fight, but Ling had not been paying attention.

She should have warned him.

Protected him.

She hadn't even had the chance to tell him.

She had loved him, and now he would never know.

She fell to her knees.

"Does this mean you're giving up?" Bradley asked cruely.

Ran Fan said nothing, and the man laughed.

He approached her with his sword and held it over her, smirking.

He brought the sword down, and the world went black.

Ran Fan had died with her prince.

**A/N: I wanted to write something angsty for some reason, and this is the result. It's hard to write a happy drabble with this prompt.**


	4. Grave

**Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to AnimeFallingStar and Wrath lover, my two reviewers! You guys are the best!!! Everyone else, follow their amazing example and review!**

**Spoiler Notice: Don't read this chapter until you've read the latest manga chapter, it contains spoilers!!!**

**Note: These promts are taken from several different 100 theme challenges from several different pairings. Don't get confused!**

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**Grave**

Ran Fan stared down at the makeshift grave she had just finished making.

She smiled sadly.

"I wish I could have buried you back home in Xing, where you belong," She whispered, sitting next to the freshly dug grave.

"Mind if I join you?" Came an all-too-famaliar voice from behind her.

She turned around and there he stood, watching her.

"Young master?" She asked uncertainly, not sure if it was him or Greed.

He nodded.

"How many times have I told you, Ran Fan? It's Ling when we're alone," he said quietly.

She smiled and patted the ground next to her.

He sat down and sighed.

"It's my fault, you know. I should have been able to help him some how, but I just watched."

Ran Fan shook her head.

"It's not your fault, youn-I mean Ling. I only watched aswell…" Tears formed in her eyes and started to fall down her cheeks. He wiped them away.

"Don't start to blame yourself, Ran Fan. He chose to die, to save us. To save this country."

She nodded.

"He went down as a hero," she whispered, "He would be happy."

Ling pulled his friend into a hug, and she lay her head on his shoulder.

Neither could help thinking that this is the way things were meant to be, the two of them together like this.

But these thoughts stayed just thoughts, for neither wished to break the comfortable silence as they remembered.

**A/N: So? Tell me what you think! Please review!!!**


	5. If I Die

**Dedication: To my reviewers, AnimeFallingStar, Wrath lover, and Nellabelle. You guys rock, reviews are what keeps this story going! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own.**

**Note: These themes are taken from several different 100 theme challenges from several different pairings, the main ones being RoyAi and EdWin. So don't get confused!**

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**If I Die**

"What would you do if I died?" He asked randomly one day, as they sat on a rooftop.

She shuddered. She didn't even want to think about it.

"If you died," She said slowly, "I would never be able to live with myself. It's my job to protect you after all. I don't know how I would be able to go on knowing that I failed and it resulted in your death. I probably wouldn't go on at all."

It was silent for a moment as they both took in what she had said.

"What would _you_ do if _I_ died," She asked quietly, breaking the silence.

He shrugged.

"Ran Fan, if you died, I would hurl myself off this very rooftop if it meant I could be with you again."

She blushed.

"Really?" She asked in disbelief.

He smiled that goofy grin of his.

"A prince would never lie to his princess."

Ran Fan turned away so he wouldn't see her pleased smirk.

"I'm only a body guard," she whispered.

He kissed her temple, catching her off guard.

"When I am king, you will be my queen, my dear."

**A/N: I thought this would be a good prompt and I even managed to make it not super-angsty! Win! Please Review!**


	6. We're Equals on This Ground

**Dedication: To my reviewers; AnimeFallingStar, Nellabelle, and Wrath lover. You guys rock!**

**Note: These themes are taken from several different 100 theme challenges from several different pairings. The main pairings these were taken from were RoyAi and EdWin. **

**Disclaimer: I am not Japanese, or a cow and therefore I do not own FMA. **

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**We're Equals on This Ground**

He was tired of them being separated by titles.

A Prince and a Body Guard. Was that all they were?

_There has to be more than that, he thought,_ looking at her closely.

_We're not all that different, are we? We're both people._

"Is something wrong, Young Master?" She asked, seeing him studying her.

He hated it when she called him that. She was always forgetting to call him Ling in private like he told her to.

"Nothing is wrong," he said slowly. _I love you,_ he wanted to say, but of course he couldn't say that.

"Okay then," She said.

Conversation over.

"One more thing, Ran Fan," Ling said quietly, "You don't have to call me Young Master, you know."

Ran Fan smiled.

"But that's what I've always called you."

"I don't like it," He said quietly, "It makes you seem so inferior to me."

"But I am inferior to you, Young Master."

"No! You're not," He said slowly, "We're equals. Remember that."

She nodded.

"I'll try."

He smiled. Maybe some other time he would tell her his feelings. For now, she knew they were equal and that was enough.

**A/N: I love this theme for this pairing. It really fits. Please review! I love reviews!**


	7. The Scent of Blood

**Dedication: This is dedicated to my reviewers; AnimeFallingStar, Wrath lover, Nellabelle, and Meso the Hanyu. It's also dedicated to my brand new nephew, Holt Anderson.**

**Disclaimer: No, I do not own FMA.**

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**The Scent of Blood**

The scent stung his nose.

The scent of blood.

Her blood.

_How did it wind up like this?_ He wondered.

She looked so much smaller now, covered in blood than she ever had before.

"Ran Fan," he muttered, "It'll be okay. I'm gonna get help."

"Don't waste your time," came a raspy voice that he assumed belonged to Ran Fan. It sounded nothing like her voice, but that's what happens when you're seriously injured, right?

"What do you mean?" He asked, knowing exactly what she meant, "It won't be a waste of time."

She smiled weakly.

"We both know there's no one that can help me now," she whispered, "I took a direct hit to the chest, Ling."

He didn't even notice that she'd called him Ling without him having to remind her. He was too scared.

"We have to try!" he insisted, "I can't just leave you like this!"

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"You have to," she murmered, "You can't give up on your goal because of me. You have to try, Ling, find the secret to immortality. Become the king of Xing. If not for yourself, then do it for me."

He could feel the tears slipping out of his eyes now.

"Please don't leave me," he whispered.

"I have to," she said sadly. And with that, her grip on his hand loosened and her eyes glazed over.

Ling wiped tears away, a pointless action since more were still coming.

"I promise I will find the secret to immortality," he whispered, "And become the best king Xing has ever seen. For you."

He looked down at the dead girl one more time, the ghost of her last faint smile still etched on her face.

"But what is a king without his queen?" He asked sadly, to no one in particular.

"Absuloutely nothing," He answered himself sadly.

**A/N: So, did you like it? Please review!**


	8. Untouchable

**Dedication: Once again, to my reviewers; AnimeFallingStar, Wrath lover, Nellabelle, and Meso the Hanya. You guys rock!**

**Disclaimer: C'mon, if I owned FMA I would be much richer than I am, not to mention I wouldn't have to post my work on . Seriously!**

**Note: Once again, these themes are taken from several different 100 theme challenges from several different pairings, so don't get consfused.**

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**Untouchable **

He was lying on the roof, hands behind his head.

He glanced over at her and smirked. She smiled back.

_How did she get so damn beautiful?_ He wondered silently.

He sighed, still staring at her. She glanced over at him and blushed scarlet.

"I-is something wrong?" She stuttered quietly.

He shook his head.

"Nothing is wrong. Everything is perfect." _**You're**__ perfect._

She looked relieved.

"Good," she muttered.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few more moments.

He was the one to break it.

"Ran Fan?"

"Yes?"

He had no idea what he was going to say; he just wanted to hear the sound of her voice.

"Up here, when I'm with you," he said slowly, "I feel like I'm untouchable. Invincible."

She blushed.

"Don't feel too safe," she said quietly, "You never know. You're defiantly _not _untouchable."

He smiled.

"I am with you protecting me."

She smiled broadly.

"You really think so?"

"No," he said and her face fell, "I know so," he finished.

She smiled again.

"Thank you," she said.

"No, thank you," he whispered.

She didn't hear him. But that was okay. Someday he would tell her how much she meant to him. But today it was enough that he was simply able to be near her.

**A/N: Yay, it's not angsty! Finally! I hope you all like it, don't forget to review!**


	9. Liar

**Dedication: As always, to all my reviewers; AnimeFallingStar, Wrath lover, Nellabelle, and Meso the Hanya. You guys are the best!!!**

**Note: These themes are taken from several different 100 theme challenges from several different pairings. Don't get confused!**

**Disclaimer: I. do. not. own. Full. Metal. Alchemist. Get it through your head!**

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**Liar**

She looked down at him, eyes glazed over, skin cold.

Tears ran freely down her cheeks as she stared at the person who meant the world to her, lying in a puddle of his own blood.

"You liar," she whispered bitterly, even though she knew he couldn't hear her anymore. Even though he hadn't been gone long, she still missed him, and so she spoke to the shell that was left.

"You promised everything would be fine," she continued, "And it ended up like this. You liar!"

She remembered clearly the conversation they'd had before coming here.

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"_Are you sure about this, Young Master?" She'd asked, sounding worried._

_He'd just smirked at her._

"_Of course I'm sure! Don't worry, Ran Fan! I'll be fine! I promise."_

_She smiled, relieved._

_He would never break a promise to her, after all._

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But he had broken his promise.

It had all happened so fast. One moment he'd been there, fighting next to her side and the next he'd been on the ground, bleeding.

She didn't know exactly who had stabbed him, it had been a blur of arms, legs, and weapons.

Whoever had done it though, they were dead now.

She had killed all of them, just to make sure she got the right one.

But regardless of weather she killed them or not, she had been to late to save him.

He was gone now, leaving behind a broken promise and a broken girl.

How would she move on?

No matter what, she knew she had to move on, no matter how much it hurt.

It's what he would have wanted.

**A/N: More angst. Oh, well. I figured I had killed off Ran Fan too many times so I killed off Ling instead this time. Please review, I hope you liked this chapter!**


	10. Unsaid

**Dedication: Dedicated to all my reviewers; AnimeFallingStar, Wrath lover, Nellabelle, Meso the Hanya, and immature-girl.** **This chapter, however, was made especially to make AnimeFallingStar happy. *wink***

**Note: These themes are taken from several different 100 theme challenges from several different pairings. So don't confuse yourself!**

**Disclaimer: I fail at ownage.**

**Unsaid**

They say some things are better left unsaid.

She had left this unsaid for way to long, and it was time to say it.

"Ling?" She said nervously.

"Yes?"

"I have something to tell you."

He turned to look at her. She was chewing her bottom lip nervously.

_Since when is Ran Fan nervous?_ He wondered.

"Go ahead," he said.

"I…I love you," she blurted out quickly, blushing bright scarlet.

He blushed as well.

She looked at the ground, bangs covering up her eyes.

_Damn, she's beautiful,_ he thought to himself.

"Ran Fan, I-"

"-It's stupid, I know," she interrupted.

"No," he said, "It's not."

She looked surprised.

"I love you too, Ran Fan. I have since I first laid eyes on you. You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."

She nervously fiddled with her automail arm.

"R-really?"

"Of course," he said with a smile.

_Finally, she knows the truth,_ he thought, _Finally, I can be happy._

**A/N: I was a bit reluctant to write this. I thought it may make it harder for me to write future chapters, as I am no good at writing about two people who actually know they're in love. But then I thought, 'Eh, these are completely unrelated. I've killed them each like three times!' So here it is. Tell me if you like it or not! Which means REVIEW!**


	11. So I'm Crying

**Dedication: Dedicated to all my reviewers; AnimeFallingStar, Wrath lover, Nellabelle, Meso the Hanya, and immature-girl.**

**Note: Why do I keep typing this? You get it by now.**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own.**

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**So I'm Crying**

His cheeks felt wet, and he knew he was crying.

She looked up at him, eyes unfocused with pain.

"What's…wrong?" She asked, sounding somewhat lost.

"How can you ask that," he muttered, "You're hurt, Ran Fan. Bad."

She smiled weakly.

"I did what it took. To protect you," she whispered.

"I never asked you to do this," he said, tears falling onto the bloody stub where she had cut her own arm off.

Seeing that only made him cry harder.

Ran Fan blinked, surprised to see him so upset. It didn't hurt, not anymore. anyways. Now it just felt numb.

Ling saw her surprised look.

"So I'm crying," he muttered.

She nodded.

"I'll be fine," she whispered, "But I'm afraid it may be a while before I can protect you again. So try not to get in trouble for a little while, okay?" She closed her eyes.

Ling nodded.

"I'll take care of myself, if you promise to take care of your self, too," he murmered.

She smiled.

"Deal," she said quietly.

He smiled as the doctor came in.

"Take care of her," he whispered, too quietly for the man to hear, "Please, take care of her."

**A/N: So I know I've used the whole Ran Fan losing her arm thing before, but it was a very big moment for this pairing so it deserves more than one chapter. Anyways, review!**


	12. Nowhere but Here

**Dedication: Dedication: Dedicated to all my reviewers; AnimeFallingStar, Wrath lover, Nellabelle, Meso the Hanya, and immature-girl.**

**Note: These themes are taken from several different 100 theme challenges from several different pairings, so don't confuse yourself.**

**Disclaimer: I only own FMA on opposite day.**

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**Nowhere but Here**

It was dark on the roof, where they often sat to talk. The temperature was well below freezing.

She was shivering, her teeth chattering slightly. She pulled her coat tighter around her and waited.

It didn't take long before he was there too, smiling his usual arrogant grin.

She smiled back, trying to stop her teeth from chattering, her body from shivering. She didn't want him to notice.

It didn't work.

"You're cold," he said simply.

"N-no," she stuttered, "I'm fine."

He shook his head.

"Take my coat," he offered.

"I can't do that," she said softly, "You need it."

His smile widened.

"Well then let me help to keep you warm," he said, putting his arms around her and pulling her close to his chest. Her shivering ceased.

"Better?" He asked.

She just nodded.

It was dark on the roof, and freezing cold.

But neither of them would have rather been anywhere else.

**A/N: I really like this chapter, I thought it was cute! I loved the theme, too. Anyways, review and tell me if you liked it so I don't feel arrogant or cocky for saying I did. xD**


	13. Cureless

**Dedication: As always, to those of you nice enough to review; AnimeFallingStar, Wrath lover, Nellabelle, Meso the Hanya, immature-girl. and TehPandaPatrol**

**Note: The themes for these drabbles are borrowed (Not stolen! xD) from several different 100 theme challenges for several different pairings. So don't get confused!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, what, are you crazy?**

**Cureless**

She was like a disease, always on his mind, taking over his life.

The way he couldn't stop thinking about her, the way he found everything she did cute, even when it wasn't meant to be.

He recognized the symptoms, but had never experienced them.

Of course he had heard people speak of this disease, even spoken to people that had it.

He just never thought it would happen to him.

But it had.

He had this strange disease that they called 'love.'

And he knew that, at least in his case, it was cureless.

And quite possibly, fatal.

Because rejection from her would be the death of him.

_But,_ he thought, _what is life without risks?_

So he decided to tell her, today, about this cureless disease that she was the cause of.

"Ran Fan?" He said quietly, "I have a disease."

She looked confused.

He continued before she could say anything, knowing the sound of her voice would paralyze him, another symptom.

"It's cureless."

She made a surprised noise, but said nothing.

"They call it 'love,'" he whispered with a nervous smile on his face, "You're the only cause, and possibly, the only cure."

Their eyes met, hers wide and surprised, his nervous and anxious.

There was a long silence between them.

She would be the one to break it.

"I thought you said it was cureless?" She said, a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.

He grinned a relieved grin and pulled her into a hug.

"_Almost_ cureless."

**A/N: More senseless fluff. I thought it was cute, though. Anyways, please remember to review!**


	14. Is it Okay to Cry?

Note: Themes taken from different 100 theme challenges from different pairings. Don't get confused.

Disclaimer: *very sarcastic voice* Oh, yes, I _so_ own FMA, which is _exactly _why Hughes is dead and I'm writing on _FanFiction_.net.

**Is it okay to cry?**

She stood there, staring at the grave, tears blurring her vision.

"Hey, Ling," she whispered, almost to quiet to be heard, "It's me again. I know, it's been five years but…I miss you."

Tears dropped onto the grave.

"Is it still okay to cry?" the girl asked quietly to the tombstone, "After five years? Am I crazy for still breaking down into tears at random moments during the day? Am I an idiot for still thinking I hear your voice, thinking you'll be there when I turn around?"

She looked disappointed, almost surprised when the grave did not answer. She turned to leave, cheeks wet with tears, eyes wide in despair.

Then, she saw him. It was crazy, but she swore she did. She rubbed her eyes and he was gone.

She felt her heart sink.

"It's okay," came an impossibly familiar voice from behind her.

She whirled around and he was there, standing atop his own grave.

"To cry, I mean," he said, "You're not crazy, or an idiot. It's okay to feel upset sometimes."

She fell to her knees.

"You're not real," she whispered, "I'm insane."

"If you want something enough, it becomes real," he whispered softly in her ear.

She blinked and turned to face him, but he was gone.

_Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I'm not,_ she thought to herself as she laid the flowers she had brought today next to the ones from yesterday, _But no matter what, he was right. When you want something enough, it becomes real. He just forgot to mention that sometimes, it's not real enough._

**A/N:**_** I**_** thought it was cute. Angsty, but cute. Tell me what you think.**


	15. Scars

**A/N: Yes, I am updating at nearly 1am. Why, you may ask, am I awake at 1am? Because FMA comes on Adult Swim tonight and I needed to update. So if this chapter makes **_**no **_**sense, it is because I am asleep on my keyboard! Try to decode it!**

**Dedication: As always, to those of you nice enough to review; AnimeFallingStar, Wrath lover, Nellabelle, Meso the Hanya, immature-girl, TehPandaPatrol, LOTR_junkie**

**Note: The themes for these drabbles are borrowed (Not stolen! xD) from several different 100 theme challenges for several different pairings. So don't get confused!**

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**Scars**

He stared at her, lying next to him in the bed, and just as they always did, his eyes went directly to the scar on her shoulder, where her automail was attached.

And just like it always did, his heart broke a little as he remembered that it was _his fault_.

"Ling?" She said in that shy, quiet way of hers, "Is everything okay?"

"Does it still hurt?" He whispered softly, barely able to be heard over the sounds of their breathing and beating hearts.

She didn't even have to ask what he meant.

"No," she said softly, "It's been years, Ling, of course it doesn't hurt."

"It hurts me," he said sadly.

"You shouldn't let it. If I had to, I'd do it again, if I knew it would get us to where we are today."

It was true, they had come far.

Ling had gone from being one of many princes to being the king of Xing. But it was a shallow victory knowing that Ran Fan, _his Ran Fan_, had been hurt in the process.

"I wish I could change it," he said, tracing his fingers lightly over the scar.

She shook her head.

"What if you could? If not for this scar, we'd both be dead. It was a small price to pay."

"It was your _arm_!"

He sounded upset.

She spoke in a soft, soothing voice, trying to calm him. "It doesn't matter now. The automail is more useful, anyways. It takes a while to get used to, but once your used to it, it's the same as a real arm. I can't even tell the difference anymore."

_I can._ He didn't say it out loud, but the thought passed between them and hung in the air.

"I love you," she whispered softly.

"I love you too, my queen."

The two of them had many scars.

Hers, physical.

His, emotional.

But somehow, it didn't matter when they were together.

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**A/N: This was kind of a futuristic thing, hope you liked it! Don't forget to review!**


	16. Change

**Spoiler alert! Again, this may have spoilers if you are not up-to-date in the manga, so don't read if you don't want spoilers.**

**Dedication: As always, to those of you nice enough to review; AnimeFallingStar, Wrath lover, Nellabelle, Meso the Hanya, immature-girl, TehPandaPatrol, LOTR_junkie, and Aosugiru Sora**

**Note: The themes for these drabbles are borrowed from several different 100 theme challenges for several different pairings. So don't get confused!**

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**Change**

She had never liked change.

For her, life had always been the same.

Follow him until the day he accomplished his goals, and give him the ultimate protection from his enemies.

But now she wondered if there was such thing as a good kind of change.

Until now, all changes had been bad.

She had lost her arm, protecting her love.

Ling had been transformed from her friend to a monster.

Her grandfather had died, protecting a country that wasn't even his own.

Yes, most of the changes she went through were negative.

But this…

He kneeled on the ground in front of her, holding a small box.

"I love you, Ran Fan," he whispered, "I want to be with you always."

He opened the box, revealing a shiny ring.

"Will you be my queen?"

"But Greed-" She started, only to be interrupted by him.

"-is gone. It's just me now." He smiled, that smile that was so…Ling….that she had not seen in so long.

Until now, she didn't realize how much she missed it.

All she could do was nod, slowly.

He stood up and kissed her, the kiss she'd been waiting on her whole life.

Maybe change wasn't so bad, after all.

**A/N: More Fluff! Please review, they make me smile!**


	17. Not There

**A/N: More Angst. Oh, well.**

**Disclaimer: No way, I don't own FMA!**

**Dedication: To my reviewers. You guys rock!**

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**Not There**

He sat on the roof, _their _roof, half expecting her to come climbing up, just like she used to do.

But of course, he knew she wouldn't.

"Dammit!" He yelled for all the world to hear. He stood up on the roof and cupped his hands to his mouth as he yelled like a mad man.

"Was this how you planned it?" He screamed, "To make me get close to you, make me fall in love with you, just so you could die and leave me?!?"

There were people stopped on the streets, staring up at him. He heard whispers, saw fingers pointing at him, but he didn't care.

Why should they eavesdrop? He wasn't even talking to them!

"Well guess what?!?" He screamed louder now, hoping she heard him. "It worked!"

He fell to his knees, cheeks wet with tears.

"It worked," he repeated, this time in a whisper.

"Why did you leave me? When I need you most, you're just not there, Ran Fan. You're _not there_."

The wind blew his hair, and it felt cold on his tearstained cheeks. He shivered.

"Come on, Ling," someone behind him whispered, "You're gonna freeze out here."

He turned around hoping, needing for it to be her, but of course he was disappointed.

It was Edward.

"Why should I care," he whispered, "If I freeze?"

"She would care," he replied simply.

Part of him wanted to punch Ed for mentioning her but another part, a more rational part, knew he was right.

He attempted a smile, which ended up looking more like a grimance.

"Yeah," he said quietly, "Let's go in."

As he followed the other boy inside, he took on last look at the roof.

"I was wrong," he whispered, "You are here. You always will be."

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**A/N: How was it? Please review!**


	18. Just Between Us

**Dedication: To my reviewers.**

**A/N: This is more fluff but with Little! Ran Fan and Little! Ling. I've never seen it before and wanted to give it a shot.**

**Disclaimer: Nope.**

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**Just Between Us**

The young boy on the bed couldn't have been much older than six, and yet he felt so much older.

Today, he had lost his mother and been moved in with her one of his father's servants and his granddaughter.

It wasn't as if they were complete strangers. His father wouldn't do that. The girl and him had been best friends ever since he could remember, and she was being trained as his servant.

But it was still a big change for a young boy.

"Can I tell you something?" He whispered to the girl on the floor who, after quite an argument, had forced him to take her bed.

"Of course," she whispered back.

"But," he said quietly, "It's a secret."

She nodded.

"Just between us," he said, a little bit louder.

She sat up.

"Oh, just out with it," she said with a grin.

"Okay," he was whispering again now, "I'm scared."

"Why's that such a big secret?"

"I'm not supposed to be scared," he said, voice breaking, "I'm a prince. Why should I be scared?"

"You don't have to be," she muttered, "Not anymore."

She climbed in the bed and lay down next to him.

"I'm here. I'll protect you."

"Forever?" He asked hopefully.

"Forever." She said.

_0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0_

Ling stared at the girl in the bed next to him, smiling.

She still looked just like she had ten years ago when she made her promise.

A promise she still hadn't broken.

And a promise he knew she never would break.

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**A/N: More fluff! 3 Don't get the wrong idea about them sleeping together, she's just being protective. Don't forget to review!**


	19. Existence

**SPOILER ALERT! Some minor spoilers for chapter 100, but nothing major.**

**A/N Woo, I'm back in Alabama at last! Enjoy a new chapter as I nap on my keyboard. Who knew a 6 hour drive could make you so tired?**

**Disclaimer: Dani: Ling, do I own you?**

**Ling: Don't insult me! Of course not!**

**Dani: *angst***

**Existence**

Her entire life, she had only had one reason for existence; protecting him.

But she had never been told how to protect him from this.

He looked up at her, eyes pleading.

"Please," he begged, "You're automail can't hold this much weight. You have to let go."

She shook her head.

I don't care, she thought, if I die. If you die, what other future do I have?

"Please," he whispered.

She looked away, knowing if she saw him pleading with her like that long enough, she might listen to him.

"You don't understand," she muttered, "You are my whole life. My whole reason for existence. If I let go now, what future do I have?"

He too, looked away, unable to stand her looking so sad.

"Go help the old man," he ordered, just to change the subject.

"I can't," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes, "It's already too late."

His eyes widened in sorrow, surprise, and pity.

"Briggs men," she called, "Help me."

They came over and broke Wrath's grip on Ling by shooting him.

She pulled Ling up.

For a moment, the world melted away and it was just the two of them, staring into eachothers eyes.

And for that moment, as the world moved obliviously around them, the two of them were infinite.

**A/N: So? Loved it? Hated it? Preferably the first. Please review!**


	20. Without Her

**A/N: More angst. I hope you don't mind, it's my mood of the day.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, if I did chapter 100 would have ended much differently.**

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**Without Her**

He had been sitting in the same spot in front of her grave ever since the moment they had buried her three days ago. Unnaturally still. The only way a by-passer could even tell he was alive was by watching the slow up and down movement of his chest.

No one bothered him.

They all knew.

How could they not? It had been all over the radio, after all.

About how the poor girl had been killed by an insane man who targeted young women, calling himself "Barry the Chopper."

About how the murderer himself had been found not far up the road with an Xinese style sword in his chest.

About how a teenaged boy had been found near the girl's body, looking horrified and mumbling to himself.

About how the police had decided he was insane.

It was sad, really. It broke everyone's hearts to see him there, in front of her grave. But none of them cared quite enough to offer him a bed, or food, or any help. They cared only enough to give him sympathetic looks as they passed.

No one cared enough to even pause by the fence to hear what the boy was saying. No one cared enough to listen.

At least, not until the day a young blonde boy walked past the graveyard with a man in a full suit of vintage armor.

"Is that," the smaller boy said as he stopped next to the fence, "Ling?"

The boy looked up at the sound of his name, but did not stop murmering to himself.

The blonde boy opened the fence and ran inside.

"Ling!" he called, sitting down next to the other boy.

"-never got to tell her," Ling was saying, "Never will."

"Ling, it's me, Edward. Do you understand?"

"What am I, really without her?" Ling went on, as if he didn't hear Edward speak at all, "Without her I am just this; the boy sitting alone. The insane boy. She was what made me who I was. And she's gone now."

"But you're not alone," Said Edward, gently putting his hand on Ling's shoulder, "I'm hear for you, Ling."

Ling jumped at the first human contact he'd had since the night she'd died.

"Ling is dead!" He spat the words out as if they were poisonous.

Edward jumped.

"Ling is dead," the dark haired boy said, more softly now, "He died in the ally, three days ago. All that's left is this," he motioned toward himself, "this empty, broken shell."

Ed shook his head. "No, you're still you, Ling."

"Without her," Ling whispered, "I am nothing."

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**Please Review!**


	21. Bravery

**A/N: This takes place before Fuu died, obviously. **

**Disclaimer: Please. Do I own? Only in my dreams!**

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Bravery

When it came to being brave, she always put him to shame.

The boy was supposed to drop in out of nowhere and save the girl, winning her heart, right?

Too bad it never really happened like that.

When he was in trouble, she always jumped straight into action, ready to give her life instead of his.

When she was in trouble, on the other hand, he could only watch, looking horrified.

He could never forgive himself for the way she had hurt herself for him, the way she was willing to have him leave her, _leave her with a humonculous_, in order for him to get away safely. Every time he looked at the cold, steel, automail arm that had replaced her flesh one, he always felt a wave of guilt.

And yet, for some reason, none of that ever seemed to matter to her. Every time he had tried to apologize for her arm, she'd waved him off.

_It's not your fault,_ she would say.

But it was.

It didn't matter if she blamed him, because he blamed himself.

And why not? If he hadn't let her help with the plan to capture the humonculuos, she would still have two perfect flesh arms.

He was an idiot, there was no denying that. But he had never known he was that stupid.

When he'd set out to Amestris, he'd wanted the Stone to become emperor, but now he wondered what he would really use it for. Perhaps he would get Ran Fan her arm back, and then give it to Edward to use as he wished.

Maybe he would make himself, Ran Fan, and her grandfather immortal, and they could spend eternity doing whatever.

Who knows? Maybe he really would take it to Xing for his father to use.

Whatever his future contained, however things would end up, he knew he wanted her as part of it.

Which is why, for once, he had to be the brave one.

He slowly took the ring out of his pocket, and set off to find the girl he would spend eternity with.

The girl who had always done whatever he'd said, no matter how stupid.

The girl of his dreams.

Why? Because they were worth it.

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**A/N: Sorry, this chapter is late. My internet was down. Review, anyways! **


	22. Heaven

**A/N: A very, very short chapter today, along with a late update. Fail.**

**Disclaimer: You give me too much credit.**

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**Heaven **

It was the question that no one knew the answer to, despite the people who claimed they did. The question that sent shivers up your spine. The question that scared you out of your mind.

What happens to a person when they die? Do they go to heaven or hell, do they just float around, or do they simply disappear?

He didn't know the answer better than anyone else, but there was one thing that he knew, and that was that Heaven did exist, even on Earth.

Heaven was standing by her side. Heaven was the way her voice made his heart beat so loud, he was afraid she would notice. Heaven was seeing her smile.

Knowing all this, Ling didn't much care what happened to him once he was gone. He'd seen both Heaven and Hell here on Earth, with her.

Nothing could be worse than seeing her in pain and knowing it was his fault. Nothing could be worse than seeing her cry.

Anyways, what does it matter what happens to you, once you die?

He had her now, here on Earth, and he would treasure this time forever.

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**A/N: REVIEW! I could use the inspiration. Maybe I'll even post an **_**early**_** chapter (Hint, hint.)**


	23. After the Rain

**A/N: I actually kind of like this chapter. Not very long, but it says a lot, reflecting on Ran Fan's thought about GreedLing**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own FMA, FMAB, or the manga.**

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**After the Rain**

Sometimes, when it's been raining for days, it's hard to believe the sun even exists anymore. That was how she felt now.

Edward had said, _promised_, that he was still in there, but Ran Fan wasn't so sure. That smile, those greedy eyes, those features didn't belong on his face. And yet, there they were, staring at her now.

He was smirking, a smirk that reminded her so much of someone she once knew. Perhaps this was because the mouth making this smirk was that person's, or at least it had been.

She glared daggers at him. No matter how much he looks like Ling, she told herself, he's not. He's just the bastard who took him away from me.

"You're that girl, aren't you?" He asked smugly, "The one who sacrificed her arm for him?"

_No, I wear automail for fun, douch bag. _

But she would never say that. Because she had to believe that he was in there, just as you had to believe the sun still existed, even in its absence. He wouldn't want her to talk like that, so she wouldn't.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Thanks," he said, catching her off guard. She flashed him a confused look, but he looked just as confused as she was.

"If you hadn't of done that," he said slowly, trying to make up for saying something un-greed-like," I wouldn't have been able to get this body."

She could have hit him, but she knew she'd get hurt worse than he would. Besides, this display had showed her something; as much as she hated to admit it, Ed had been right.

Somewhere, the sun still shined.

He was in there, somewhere.

_Maybe,_ she thought to herself, _the rain isn't so bad. Because if there weren't rain, there wouldn't be rainbows either, now would there? Sometimes, the rain is worth it, after all. _

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**A/N: So, did you love it? Please review!**


	24. Behind The Mask

**A/N: I have to post these lyrics here, just because they go with the theme and I'm a music fanatic.**

"_**It won't help me but I have to ask; is there something real that's behind the mask? Something true you don't know about? A little faith in amongst the doubt!"**_

–**Lostprophets, 'Can't Catch Tomorrow (Good Shoes Won't Save You This Time)'**

**Disclaimer: No way, I don't own FMA**

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Behind the Mask

He had always wondered, as he looked at her, what exactly she hid behind her mask.

He was pretty good at reading people, most of the time, but she was the one exception.

The one person he wished he could read, he didn't have the slightest clue about. Though they had known each other since childhood, she knew more about him than he would ever know about her.

Somehow, he knew it was meant to be that way.

Him, admiring her, her, protecting him.

That was the way it had always been, and the way it would always be in the future.

So what did it matter, what was behind the mask?

He loved her, and that was all that mattered.

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**A/N: Supershort Chapter today, sorry. Review anyways!**


	25. Nightmares

**A/N: More Little!Ling and Little!Ran Fan fluff. Enjoy. Also, I'd like to apologize for the severe lateness of this chapter. May mutant monkeys eat my brains. **

**Disclaimer: You can't be serious. I don't own FMA. Excuse me while I angst.**

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**Nightmares**

"Ran Fan?" Six year old Ling Yao whispered quietly to his bodyguard, "You awake?"

"Of course," came the answer as the girl sat up, "Is something wrong?"

His voice sounded small and scared. "I had a nightmare."

She climbed into his bed.

"It's not real. Only a dream," she said soothingly.

He snuggled a bit closer to her.

"I know…but it was scary!" He wimpered at the memory.

She sighed.

"What was it about?" She asked quietly.

"Well, me and you were fighting someone."

"Mmhmm," She said, tone telling him to continue.

"And…You…He…" The boy's voice broke off into a soft sob.

"What happened?" She asked softly.

"You died," he cried through his tears, "The man killed you!"

"It's okay," She said, trying her best to comfort him, "I'm right here. I'll always be right here."

_0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0_

"_RAN FAN!" He screamed as the man stabbed a knife into her chest, twisting it around._

_Ran Fan fell limply to ground, her eyes glazed over and staring off into nothingness._

_Ling lashed out at the man, slitting his throat in one smooth motion._

_Before the dead man had hit the ground, the boy was kneeling down next to the girl, trying to shake her awake._

"_Ran Fan," he whispered, "Wake up. Please, wake up."_

_0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0_

"Master," The six year old girl yelled, shaking him furiously, "Master, wake up!"

He opened his eyes and blinked.

"Ran Fan?" He whispered.

She nodded.

He pulled her into a tight hug.

"I had another nightmare, but it's over now. You're still here, just like you promised."

The little girl smiled and said, "Don't worry, Master. I'd never break my promise to you."

Convinced, the boy smiled and snuggled closer to her.

"Goodnight, Ran Fan," he whispered softly.

There was a short pause before she answered.

"Night, Ling."

And the two fell asleep, dreaming happily.

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**A/N: I apologize again for the lateness of this chapter, but please review anyways!**


	26. Honesty

**A/N: Another late chapter. I'm such a bum! Enjoy, anyways. **

**Disclaimer: Oh, come on! **

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**Honesty**

They were honest with each other about everything.

_Almost_ everything, anyways.

But today, she swore that the almost would disappear. Today, she would tell him the truth.

If he didn't feel the same, so be it.

Swallowing deeply, she tapped him on the shoulder.

"Master," she said softly as he whirled around and smiled at her.

Not for the first time, she was glad for the mask she was wearing.

"I have something to tell you," she muttered shyly, "Something important."

He nodded slowly. "Go on," he said.

It was easier said then done. Her voice seemed to have left her.

"Iloveyou," she blurted so quietly that it was barely audible.

He looked confused. "Err…you what? I couldn't understand you."

"Iloveyou," she said a bit louder.

He shrugged helplessly. "Say again?"

"I love you!" She screamed it this time, even taking off her mask, thinking if he didn't hear her now, he just didn't want to.

He heard her.

His cheeks turned bright pink as she let her words sink in.

She turned slowly away.

"I…I'm sorry, Master," she whispered, "I don't know what came over me."

"Ran Fan," he muttered, grabbing her arm and pulling her into a soft kiss. Her expression slowly went from surprised to blissful contentment as the kiss deepened.

Too soon, he pulled away and stroked her hair gently.

"Don't apologize," he whispered into her ear, "For being honest. It's me who should apologize."

She raised an eyebrow in a confused expression.

"All this time," he continued, "I wasn't being honest. I love you, Ran Fan, and I always have."

A smirk played at her features.

She was glad she wasn't the only one keeping a secret.

"It's okay," she murmured, pulling him into another kiss.

They were _always_ honest with each other.

About _everything_.

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**A/N: Please review, I'll try to get back on track. You may see angsty chapters in the near future, though, just a warning.**


	27. Look Up, Look Down

**A/N: Kind of angsty, but not very. And pretty long, too. Enjoy it! Also, as for the idea, it came from an email. A boy with cancer dies and asks God if he can write a letter to his mom. I hope it doesn't feel like I'm shoving beliefs down your throat, I tried to make it to where it could have been The Gate instead of Heaven, but if you hate it I give you permission to kill me.**

**Disclaimer: What's that? I don't own Fullmetal and never will? Damn! Off to my angst corner.**

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**Look Up, Look Down**

She looked up at the sky, wondering if there was some possibility that he still existed up there, somewhere.

She hoped he did. She hoped that somewhere up there, he was alive, and all of his pain was gone.

She couldn't have protected him this time, not from the disease, but maybe it didn't matter now. Maybe he was okay up there. Maybe he was happy.

She hoped so.

_0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0_

_He looked down at the ground and saw her there. _

_She looked so sad._

_He wished there was some way he could tell her. He didn't hurt anymore. _

_In the end, the pain had been so terrible he hadn't been able to stand it. He remembered her, always standing next to his bedside and worrying over him. _

_But then, one day, she'd been holding his hand and everything disappeared. The pain was gone, and then, he'd found himself up here. Unfamiliar territory, but oh, it was beautiful._

_He wished she could see._

_He wished he could tell her._

_0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0_

It had been six months since he had left her, but she still missed him as though it were yesterday.

She found herself constantly looking to the sky, day and night, hoping to catch a glimpse of his face somewhere, happy and free of pain.

Maybe he could walk again now. Maybe he could fly. It had always been his dream, flying. He'd always thought it was childish, but she thought it was cute.

She'd never told him.

She wished now she had.

_0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0_

_How long had it been? He didn't know. He knew it had been a long time, though, but she still looked sad. He wondered if he'd be allowed the chance to talk to her._

_Maybe if he asked politely, they would let him write her a letter. It couldn't hurt to try._

_He approached them, slowly and carefully._

"_What is it?" A deep voice. Had he been younger, it would have scared him, but not so much now._

"_There's this girl," he said timidly._

_The voice burst into hearty laughter._

"_There's always a girl," it muttered quietly._

_Ling nodded._

"_She misses me. I want to contact her. Tell her I'm okay. That I don't hurt anymore."_

_The person whom the voice belonged to nodded slowly. _

"_One letter," they said, holding up a single finger._

_Ling was overjoyed._

_0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0_

She found the letter on her bed later that night.

She read it over and over again, tears filling her onyx eyes. She clutched it tightly to her chest. It smelled of him. His handwriting was all too familiar on the page.

_Ran Fan, _the letter read,_ don't be sad anymore. It's been a long time, hasn't it? I don't like to see you cry, and don't say you don't because I've seen you._

_I don't hurt anymore, that's all behind me now. It's beautiful up here. And, Ran Fan, I can fly! Do you remember me telling you how much I wanted to fly? I thought it was childish, but you told me 'Dreams are never childish." That really helped me to pursue my dream of becoming emperor. _

_I couldn't have done anything without you. I love you, Ran Fan, please, be happy. _

_Love, _

_Ling._

And even though she was still sad, she tried to follow his instructions and be happy. It was hard, so very hard without him, but she tried.

Living and dwelling, always, on the fact that he was happy, that he didn't hurt anymore, and not on the fact that he was gone.

But always, she would find herself looking up, just as she knew that somewhere up there, he was looking down.

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**A/N: Yay, an on time chapter! Review!**


	28. Don't Forget

**A/N: I apologize for any grammer or spelling mistakes, but I'm in a hurry. I'm going to a party tonight, as Friday tradition goes. Hope you enjoy this short fluffy **

**chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Really? I don't own FMA? Who woulda guessed?**

* * *

**Don't Forget**

She lay in the bed, fists clenched tightly around the sheets. She stared at her new automail arm letting the tears run silently down her cheeks.

_Don't forget_, the arm screamed, _Never forget_

But how could she? Even without the automail, she would always remember.

It was the one time when she had failed to protect him. The one time that he had almost died protecting her instead.

She would never let it happen again.

Quietly, she sat up in bed and looked around the room. She was scared for him, to be honest. She hadn't seen him since he'd shoved her into the lieutenant's car, telling them to take her somewhere safe while he went off to fight that inhuman monster.

Alone, without her protection.

It scared her more than anything ever had.

She wanted to leave, right now, and go find him, but the doctor wouldn't allow it. She'd begged and begged, but always he had said no. "You're not fully healed yet," he'd insisted. He didn't understand. How could he?

And so she waited. And waited. And just when she was tired of waiting and sure he'd been killed, Alphonse showed up.

She liked Al, he seemed kind enough, but she had no tolerance for Edward. He was annoying.

When he gave her the note in the familiar messy handwriting she never thought she'd see again, Ran Fan broke into relieved tears. But Al seemed guilty and she knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" She demanded, "What's happened?"

And so he'd explained, and she wished she'd never asked.

Homunculus.

The word drowned out all other thoughts.

But she had to trust that in the end, it would all work out.

So she sat back and waited for him.

And she never forgot.

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**A/N: Ugh, I hated it. Hopefully you didn't. Review to boost my self esteem?**


	29. Ten Years Ago

**A/N: Kind of a futuristic chapter, I suppose. It wandered completely off subject, I realize, but I still kind of liked it. So enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I'm still asleep okay? But I still don't own.**

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**Ten Years Ago**

For years after it happened, he would find himself waking up in the dead of the night, screaming from the vivid nightmare full of terrible memories.

Every night, he would gently touch the sheets beside him, hoping that it had been only a dream. Every night, his fingertips would only touch empty sheets, confirming that the nightmares had been true, that she was gone and never coming back.

And so, every night, he would get up and head out into the brisk, cool night, half hoping to find her out there, waiting for him and laughing at his foolishness for believing a mere dream.

Needless to say, this never happened.

He found it cruel and unfair that she would die in the final battle, the battle that had resulted in the death of all the Homunculi, forever freeing him of Greed. The battle that had also resulted in his dream becoming a reality, and him being able to go home the new emperor of Xing.

He would also return alone, without her by his side for the first time in years.

He had heard stories about Amestris, about how the new Fuhrer, Roy Mustang, was slowly working to make it become a democracy state instead of a military state. The new Fuhrer had also lost his protector in that final battle, and as much as Ling knew he was hurting, he'd been unable to comfort the man.

Once the Philosophers Stone had been uncovered, it had been split three ways.

One piece of the stone was given to the Elric Brothers, and the younger of the two had recovered his former body and was later married to a Xinese Princess by the name of Mei Chan. The older boy had not been able to recover his body, but he had ended up happy anyways. After resigning from the military, he was married to his childhood friend and automail mechanic. Ling had gotten a letter saying they were now expecting their first child, a daughter.

Another piece of the Stone had been given to the then-Colonel, Roy Mustang, provided he promised not to try a human transmutation. After sadly agreeing to this promise, he used his bit of the Stone to heal his friend Jean Havoc of the wounds he had acquired in a battle with the Homunculus Lust. That hadn't used up all of his Stone, and he wore the remaining bit as a necklace. To remind him, he'd said.

The last piece of the Philosophers Stone had been given to Ling, after he also promised not to resort to human transmutation. Since Ling wasn't an alchemist to begin with, the promise was easily made, and he used the stone to become emperor.

That was ten years ago, and they were all still healing. Sometimes, he wondered if he'd ever get a good nights sleep again, without her there.

Maybe another ten years would do the trick.

And so, they lived on, hurting and healing the best they could, but never forgetting what they had lost those ten years ago.

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**A/N: Woo! You are becoming hypnotized. You must press the green button. Do it!**


	30. Crowds

**A/N: Sorry I didn't update yesterday. Kill me if you wish, just not with water guns!**

**Dedicated to Meso the Hanyu because a dog is always man's best friend. :( **

**Disclaimer: NO! FOR THE LAST TIME, I ONLY OWN…NOTHING!**

* * *

**Crowds**

There was a huge crowd in the graveyard that day, and yet somehow she was all alone.

No one came over to her to try to comfort her. No one spoke to her. Hell, no one even glanced her way.

The crowd parted around her as the funeral ended and they all left, laughing and cutting up as if on their way home from work rather than a funeral.

And why not? None of them actually knew him; they had come simply because they wanted something to feel bad about. They only wanted the comfort, not the hurt. She, on the other hand, was actually hurting, but getting no sympathy. Not like she wanted any of their fake sympathy, and not like they would give it to her.

She stood for a while at the grave, hands trembling slightly as she tried to hold the tears in. It was hard; no ten year old girl should have to try not to cry at their father's funeral. But he had always told her to be strong, no matter what, and she wasn't about to betray him now, not at his own grave.

She heard footsteps behind her, but she didn't turn around. As stupid as it was, she didn't care who was there.

"Hey," said a shy, quiet, yet vaguely familiar voice, "You're Ran Fan, right?"

She whirled around and saw the face of Ling Yao, the twelfth prince of Xing and the boy her father had died protecting.

"Yes," she said politely, "You're Master Ling, aren't you?"

He grinned sheepishly and nodded.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, "About your dad, I mean. He was a great man. He didn't deserve to-" he broke off, obviously choking down tears himself. Any bitterness she'd had to the bay vanished.

"It's okay," she said sympathetically, "It wasn't your fault."

He laughed humorlessly.

"To think that you're actually the one comforting me? Ran Fan, it's okay to be sad. I know how it feels to lose a parent."

She remembered a few years in the past, her father telling her the young prince's mother had passed on due to a serious illness.

"When my mum died," he continued quietly, "I felt like it was the end of the world. Everyone was telling me, 'It's okay to cry, Ling. You can be sad.' But no one stuck around to comfort me when I actually did start crying. So now, I'm telling you. It's okay to cry, Ran Fan. You can be sad, if you want to. And if you do start to cry….I'll stay here with you and help you get through. Okay?"

She nodded quietly, touched by his kindness.

And then she realized; it doesn't matter if you're invisible to the crowd, they don't matter anyways. As long as you have someone there to help you, there's nothing you can't do. Eventually, the crowd will vanish anyways, but that one person will always be there for you.

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**A/N: Woo, a cheesy ending! You thought I killed off Ling again in the beginning, didn't you? Wrong! So, review, kay?**


	31. Tiny Fingers, Tiny Toes

**A/N: This theme excites me! A Ling and Ran Fan BABY! I'm excited to be writing it, hopefully I don't kill it. Also, I apologize for another late chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do own FMA! *Is hit on the head with a rock* Only on Tuesdays? *Hit with another rock* OKAY! NEVER! HAPPY NOW?**

* * *

**Tiny Fingers, Tiny Toes**

"You look beautiful," he told her for what must have been the millionth time that day, "Both of you."

She rolled her eyes at his compliment, but blushed.

He couldn't help it, though; he just couldn't keep his eyes off her. Or the tiny bundle of blankets wriggling around in her arms.

_Was I ever that tiny?_ He wondered. He didn't_ remember_ being that tiny!

"Would you like to hold him?" Her voice brought him back to reality as he stared in awe at her.

"I can…hold him?"

She smiled and nodded, holding the bundle up to him. He took it slowly and carefully and realized how perfectly it fit into his arms. Was it supposed to do that?

The baby was tiny and, at least to the two standing in the room, beautiful. He already had a head-full of black hair and sparkling onyx eyes that looked around the room in curiosity. Ling reached out and put a finger in the baby's hand, which automatically closed around it.

"Have you come up with a name yet?" Asked the way-too-smiley nurse who had just come into the room.

Ran Fan beamed and nodded, causing both the nurse and her husband to look up at her.

"His name will be Tobi Ling Yao. Is that okay with you, Maste-Ling?"

Ling's eyes widened.

"You want to name him…after me?"

She nodded happily.

"And Tobi after my father."

He grinned.

"I think it's the best name we could give him. After all, he is going to succeed me in being emperor, right?"

She nodded.

So it was settled, and with that done, Ling went back to obsessing over his son's tiny fingers and toes.

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**A/N: Please review, I need feedback, people!**


	32. Hidden Expressions

**A/N: Woo-hoo, a new chapter! Enjoy, my friends, I know its a few days late. Sorry, I was in Tennessee. **

**Disclaimer: Psh. No.**

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**Hidden Expressions**

They were both pretty good at hiding their emotions.

For her, it was all part of the job. If an enemy saw that the very person she was protecting was also her weakness, it would all be over.

For him, it was to protect her for a change. He knew he wasn't the most popular guy in Xing. His siblings hired assassins to eliminate competition quite often. If those assassins knew he was in love with his body guard, they would no doubt kill her, and if that happened, everything that he had ever lived for would die along with her.

So they kept their feelings to themselves. It was best that way, wasn't it?

So why did she feel so guilty? And why couldn't he keep his eyes off her? None of it made sense.

One day as they walked through the desert, he sparked up a conversation, desperate to hear her voice.

"Ran Fan?" He asked quietly.

"Yes, Master?" She said in the automatic, robotic tone that sent chills down his spine.

"I…err…" He hadn't really planned on what he would say next, so he decided to improvise.

Never a good plan.

"Nice weather we're having, eh?"

"…..It's 115 degrees…."

"Oh," he laughed uncomfortably, "Yeah. But…it's nice, y'know? Just being able to walk around out here, just you and me? Nice to be alone."

She looked away, blushing slightly.

"Yeah. It is."

There was an awkward silence between them as they both searched desperately for what to say next.

"I love you," he said slowly, as if it were the most normal thing around.

"I love you too," she said in a tone that sounded as if she were simply asking him to pass the ketchup.

Realizing what they had just said, both boy and girl blushed deeply and looked up at each other.

The same thought went through both minds; _Okay, so maybe hiding emotions is the right thing to do, but this is defiantly the best thing to do._

When the two arrived back to Amestris, Fuu noticed something was different about the two of them. They were constantly looking at each other, and laughing.

He decided to leave it alone though. Teenagers were strange, after all, and he didn't want to get mixed up in whatever was going on with those two kids.

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**A/N: Woo, I added Fuu at the end! That was just for you, Meso. :D Hope you all liked it. Review!**


	33. Crime and Punishment

**A/N: Slight language in this chapter. Nothing terrible, only slight. Also, has anyone else noticed how much more angsty RoyAi themes are than EdWin themes? It's like Wow.**

**Disclaimer: No, I own neither FMA nor the army of fangirls that come with it.**

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**Crime and Punishment**

All this time, he knew it would come back and bite him in the ass. After all, it's a law in Xing; you can't marry outside of your social class.

Everyone knew that. It just messed with the balance of things.

So why had he insisted, even after she'd brought it up?

It was that stupid word. That stupid four letter word. The_ L_ word. He never thought it would happen to him, but of course it had.

And he had suffered for it. He still was suffering for it.

They had broken the law, all because of that stupid little word, and they had both paid dearly. But still, it seemed harsh to him. Unfair. Why should this have to happen, just when they had gotten everything fixed?

But as he knew already, life was never fair.

She had been his crime, and this was his punishment.

When his father, the emperor, had found out about his son's engagement, he'd been furious. He had demanded that the felons were to be punished. But, like every father, he had a soft spot for his son.

While Ling was to be banished from Xing, never to return, his fiancé was to face the normal charges for committing such a crime; execution. Despite his son's pleas, the emperor had gone through with the punishment. He wouldn't even allow Ran Fan to be buried next to her father in Xing.

Ling had had her buried, instead, in Amestris, the country where the two had wandered for all those years. Where they had lost everything, and then gained it all back, slowly. Where they had realized that their affection for each other extended beyond the limit of 'best friends.'

He held a funeral for her. It was a small one, only the few friends they had in Amestris had come, but it was a funeral all the same. Ling had tried to take on the job of being the preacher, but had choked up and given the job instead to Edward, who had barely made it through the speech without breaking down.

6 flowers rested on the makeshift grave in the large field, one from each of the funeral's attendees.

Edward Elric had patted Ling sympathetically on the back; eyes wet with tears and muttered something inaudible under his breath.

Alphonse Elric, having finally gotten his body back after all these years, only to have to attend this funeral shortly after, was sobbing quietly as he told Ling how sorry he was.

Winry Rockbell had wiped her eyes, trying to appear strong for Ling, but broke down when she reached the grave.

Riza Hawkeye quietly told the young boy how much Ran Fan would be missed, and about how it truly was a terrible thing for her to go this way.

Roy Mustang swallowed deeply and muttered 'Sorry' under his breath as he'd passed Ling, and the young prince could only imagine what memories this brought back for the man as he'd nodded respectfully.

As Ling leaned down and put the final flower on the grave, a soft breeze flew through his hair. He thought of the secret he'd kept from everyone; his father, his country, even his friends. Today was not just the day he was burying his true love, but also the day he was burying his unborn child.

He wanted to tell his father, try to get Ran Fan out of the execution, but she had made him promise not to.

"Whatever happens, happens. You hear me, Ling Yao?" She'd said in that persistent tone of hers, "I don't want to stoop so low as to bring this up, and besides, they'd just go through with it after the nine months was over anyways. I don't want to leave behind you and a child, you couldn't care for it on your on. So let it be, you hear?"

Reluctantly, he had agreed. And had regretted it ever since.

_So,_ he thought bitterly, _have I paid enough for my crime, Father? Did you really think you were going easy on me by letting me live? Or was that part of your plan, too? Well I hope you're happy, cause I'm sure as hell not._

Nothing can be done without causing something else. He had learned this the hard way. Do the crime and suffer the punishment. The punishment is never fair, but that's part of what makes it a punishment. Of all the people in the World, he knew this the best.

No matter what, it is impossible to erase your mistakes.

The hardest part of life is the living.

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**A/N: As you can tell, I'm in an angsty mood. Oh, well. Review!**


	34. Different

**A/N: So…happy. Why is the angst gone? I hope you all enjoy this strangely happy chapter. Geez, next thing you know I'll be writing about rainbows!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, or rainbows for that matter. In fact, I don't own a lot of things. What **_**do**_** I own?**

**Warning: The following fan fiction is highly flammable. Please keep away from open flames and mean reviewers as the authoress gets into angst mode very easily these days.**

* * *

**Different **

Ran Fan sighed deeply and looked out the train window.

_I hate train rides_, she thought, fiddling unconsciously with a strand of her hair.

She found that she got quite fidgety on long train rides, and didn't like it. Not to mention Ling had fallen asleep shortly after eating both his lunch and hers, so she didn't even have him to talk to.

A loud, lazy yawn beside her told her that he was awake.

"Ran Fan!" He whispered sleepily.

She ignored him.

"Ran Fan!" He said it a bit louder this time, but still she resisted the urge to turn around.

"Heey!" He was poking her now. "Ran Fan! Raaaaaaannnnn Faaaaaannnn!"

Finally, she turned around.

"What?" She said, as calmly as she could manage.

There was a long pause.

"I forgot," He finally said in a sheepish voice.

But she knew him too well to miss the mischievous glint in his eye. She could practically hear the gears turning in his head; almost see the thought that popped up.

_Annoying Ran Fan is fun!_

So, when she turned back around, she wasn't surprised to hear him a few moments later.

"Ran Fan, guess what?"

"What?" She asked quietly, "What now?"

"…..Can I play with your hair?"

Ran Fan groaned. Why was he always like this? He knew he wasn't allowed to touch her hair! No one was!

"No," she said calmly without even turning to face him.

But, just as she expected, a few moments later she felt his fingers undoing her tight bun, letting her hair fall over her shoulders, and then felt the same fingers run themselves smoothly through it.

She turned around, about to warn him that she would not hesitate to break his arm, but before she could say a single menacing word, his lips were pressed against hers. She grunted in surprise, but didn't pull away.

Too soon, he backed off and blushed, obviously embarrassed.

"Er," he said shyly, "Sorry. I, uh, got bumped."

It was a lie and they both knew it, but it didn't really matter.

The train ride lasted for a few more hours, but she barely noticed the time flying by, because the entire time his fingers were intertwined with hers and she was humming softly under her breath.

When the train ride was over, they gathered their things and got off, never releasing their hold on each other's hands.

And when she stepped into her house, and her brother eyed her suspiciously, she barely noticed.

"Ran Fan?" Her brother had asked, "Is there something….different about you?"

She smirked.

"No, nothing is different. I've always been like this."

Not wanting to mention it for fear his sister might attack him, the boy said no more.

* * *

A few years later, he grinned at her as she walked down the aisle, headed toward the man whom she had always loved and respected greatly.

"Told you something was different," he muttered quietly as she passed, glancing down at her outfit.

All black, with her guard mask tied to her waist.

"But not _too _different."

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**A/N: Story + Review = :D You guys' reviews make my day! **


	35. The Pounding of a Heart

**A/N: Err…yeah….no rainbows this time. I was in an angsty mood, okay? And some of the characters may be OOC in this one, sorry. I had quite a long day that stirred up some unpleasant memories, henceforth angst. I have to admit, this one is terribly sad.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned FMA, it would be more angsty then it already is, if that's possible. **

* * *

**The Pounding of a Heart**

As she rocked back in forth in front of him, she couldn't help but realize what was missing.

As much as she wanted to deny it, needed to deny it, she knew it was true. And this thing that was missing from him, there was no replacing. He wasn't going to walk away from this one.

Because that thing, the familiar sound that wasn't there, was the pounding of a heart. She had seen it enough times to know that once that familiar _beat beat_ of his heart stopped, he was gone.

And he was never coming back.

The battle went on around them, but she didn't even notice. It was as if nothing was happening, as if they were sitting at home or in their special hiding place. Except for the loud noises of gunshots and the fact that he was never going to wake up.

"Ran Fan!" Someone called from behind her. It sounded like Edward, but she wasn't sure, and honestly she didn't really care. "Ran Fan, you have to snap out of it!"

_Snap out of it? How the hell can he expect me to 'snap out of it' when Ling is gone? _

She glanced down at the empty shell next to her, the shell that once held her heart in its hands. The blood was still pooling around it, and it made her feel sick to watch his life bleed away like that.

_Why isn't anyone trying to help him? They can't all be helpless! There has to be something they can do!_

Heavy footsteps came up behind her and she turned around to see a man with raven colored hair and scared onyx eyes breathing hard. He was holding a wound on his shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding.

_I know him, don't I?_

She couldn't seem to recall anything, nothing but the surprised look on Ling's face as he fell to the ground, never to stand back up again.

The man grabbed her arm and pulled her gently to her feet.

"I don't want to leave him!" She screamed, trying to squirm out of the man's firm grip to get back to Ling, but he was too strong.

"Pull yourself together," the man muttered quietly, "I understand that you're hurting but if you don't stand up and fight you'll only follow him in his fate."

She glared at him.

Who did he think he was, scolding her like this?!?

"What's the point?" She whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek, "How am I supposed to go on when everything I lived for is gone? What's the Goddamn point?!?"

The man swallowed, hard.

"If that's what you want, then so be it," he muttered, dropping her. She fell to her knees at his feet. "But," the man continued, "Do you really think that this is what he would have wanted for you?"

She was furious now.

"You don't know what he wanted!" She yelled angrily, "You don't know him!"

"No," he said, turning away, "But I can understand the position he was in."

And with that, the man walked back into the battle, leaving her alone again.

But not for long.

She stood back up, and with one last look at her fallen prince, followed the man into battle. Because as much as she hated to admit it, he'd been right.

Her heart pounded against her chest as she pulled out her sword.

Just because his heart beat had stopped didn't mean hers should too. She would live. Not for herself, but for him.

Because that is what love is all about.

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**A/N: I know, Roy isn't supposed to be in here, but most of you know that I love him and had to throw him in. Plus, he is in the same position as Ling, don't you think? Being protected by the woman who he secretly loves…*sigh* I love RoyAi. Maybe I'll do a RoyAi 100 themes next. That could be fun! As always, read and review.**


	36. Stars

**A/N: Not one of my best chapters, but it was okay. Thanks a ton to Meso the Hanyu for giving me my prompt for this chapter, which anyone could do if they wanted to in a review.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, but I do own a DVD, a tin, and a CD of FMA. And the tin came with a big piece of foam, too!**

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**Stars**

He had always enjoyed watching the stars. When he was younger, shortly after his mother died, the stars had been the only thing able to comfort him.

By now, they held a certain famaliarness and beauty that nothing else could compare with.

Well _almost_ nothing else.

There was one thing, one person, that made the stars look like mere rocks compared to her enchanting beauty.

Because compared to her, everything looked plain and unimpressive.

She was the most beautiful person in the world.

Glancing up at her, he smiled.

She herself was also gazing at the stars and little did he know, she was thinking similar thoughts.

"M-master," She said softly, nervousness obvious in her voice.

He looked at her expectantly.

"Yes, Ran Fan?"

"The stars look beautiful tonight," She whispered, and he could have sworn he saw her blush.

"So do you," He said what was on his mind without thinking, and she turned to look at him.

"Uh…w-what?"

He sighed deeply.

"I'm tired of pretending, Ran Fan. I love you and I always have, Hell, I probably always will." His heart was beating out of his chest as he wondered what her reply would be.

She blushed even more.

"Master I-" She started, but he didn't let her finish.

"Ran Fan, don't call me 'Master' here. We're alone. Please, call me Ling."

"Ling," she corrected herself quietly, "I…I feel the same way."

He smiled, letting go of a breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding.

Leaning in closer to her, he kissed her gently on the lips. Blushing even redder, she kissed back.

The two were happy from that day forward. A few years after their first kiss, they were married.

One of Ling's brother's became emperor and he was secretly relieved. Emperors usually had to take more than one wife, and Ling only wanted one girl.

They lived in Amestris, in a small town near Central.

And every single night, they would stand outside together and gaze up at the stars, always reminded of the night of that first kiss…

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**A/N: Well, did you like it? Please review, constructive critism welcome!**


	37. Regret

**A/N: Thanks a ton to skywolf666 for the idea for this chapter, and also to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, or alerted this story. Y'all are my inspiration, and this would be impossible without you.**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own. What, are you insane?**

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**Regret**

He was angry. That much was obvious.

But wasn't obvious, at least not to most people, was that he had lost control.

She saw it, but then, she wasn't most people.

She could see that furious glint in his eye as he glared at the oncoming troops, and to be honest, it scared her. It wasn't _him_ she was scared of, she could never be afraid of _him_, it was what she knew he could do, what he might do.

She knew she had to stop it, stop him from becoming a monster.

He took a step toward the reinforcing troops, and she reached out for his hand.

"Ling," she whispered softly, "Don't do something you might regret later."

He glared daggers at her.

"What's there to regret?" He growled, pulling his hand out of her grip, "Ran Fan, these people want to _kill us_. Will _try_ to kill us if we don't kill them first. Fuu, _your grandfather_, is dead because of people like them! Why on Earth would I_ regret_ killing them?"

"Because you're human," She said, voice shaking slightly, "And you have a conscience."

She stepped in front of him, standing firmly in his way. He twitched angrily and took a menacing step forward.

"Ran Fan," He growled, voice trembling in rage, "Move."

Ran Fan glared right back.

"No," She said.

Gunshots and shouting sounded from behind her as the remaining Briggs men continued to protect the gate, but she stood in place, jaw set, eyes confident. He scowled.

"They need me," He hissed, "They'll all die!"

His voice shook, but no longer out of anger. He was obviously scared for the other men's lives.

"I'm not saying you can't kill them," She said, glancing sideways at the battle, "I'm just saying you should be careful not to do something you'll regret later. Promise me that, and I'll let you come by."

"I promise," he muttered grudgingly under his breath.

Smiling, she stepped aside.

"I'm going with you," she said with a smirk.

"How did I guess?" He chuckled softly.

* * *

It was the end. The battle was over, and the gate was protected.

But not without a price.

Most of the Briggs men were dead, only three or four remained, standing bloody and beaten next to the gate they had given everything up to protect.

And he was on his knees, cradling a limp head in his arms.

She wasn't dead, at least not yet. She had suffered several gunshot wounds when she'd jumped in front of him though, and was seriously injured.

"Help!" He called out, "We need a doctor! Please!"

One of the Briggs men called for an ambulance at the nearest pay phone, but help seemed hopelessly far away.

Tears clouded his vision as he wondered what he would do if he lost her.

"Ran Fan," he muttered to the unconscious girl, "I've broken my promise. I did something I regret; I should have never let you join the battle. I'm sorry. Forgive me."

Minutes later, the sound of sirens sounded like music to his ears; she would be saved!

That day, many people died.

But, then again, many more lived on, some scars healing, others remaining always. And even though what they did that day was right, some were never able to outlive the regret.

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**A/N: So, what did you think? Review!**


	38. Celebration

**A/N: Late chapter, I know. I added a bit of comedy at the begging of it, though. Merry Christmas to you all, and happy New Years too. Also, I'd like to thank Noah the Devil Huntress for giving me this prompt!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA**

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**Celebration **

The day after he became emperor of Xing, Ling Yao ordered there to be a huge celebration that included food, dancing, and did I mention the food was _free?_

All of Xing showed up. Not just for the free food, either, but because they were in a partying mood. Though, the free food may have caused that mood.

Ling stood up at the front of the party next to his bodyguard, Ran Fan, smiling out at his people.

"Isn't this amazing, Ran Fan?" He asked, taking a bite out of his sandwich, "We finally made it!" He continued with his mouth full.

The girl next to him nodded. "Yes, Master, we did," She muttered, smiling big.

"Ran Fan, there's something I've been meaning to ask you…"

_Why does he sound so nervous? What's there to be nervous about? He's made it to the top._

She listened intently and nodded, turning to face the emperor.

He bit his lower lip nervously.

"Ran Fan…" He muttered, digging around in his pocket. He pulled out what appeared to be a small box and put it behind his back. What he did next, she would remember for the rest of her life.

He kneeled in front of her, getting slowly onto one knee and pulled the thing- it _was_ a small box- out from behind his back. She gasped.

"Ran Fan," He said again, opening the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring, "I'm tired of pretending. I love you. You are the most beautiful girl in the world. You are the _only_ girl in the world. When I'm with you, you're the only one I see, even in a crowd like this. It doesn't matter to me, because you're the only one I _want_ to see. So what do you say? Will you be my emperoress? Ran Fan, will you marry me?"

She put one hand over her mouth to hide her surprised smile.

"Ling," She whispered, barely audible over the murmur of the crowd, "Do you even have to ask?"

He grinned that goofy grin of his, stood up, and kissed her passionately on the lips.

"I figured asking was my safest bet."

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**A/N: Hope you liked it. Review? **


	39. Shadows

**A/N: MERRY CHRISTMAS!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, don't own FMA**

* * *

**Shadows**

"You 'fraidy cat!" The young girl accused, sticking her tongue out at the boy.

"I am not!" The boy whined, stomping his foot slightly.

"Are so! Who's afraid of the dark? You're_ seven_ years old for crying out loud!"

"I'm _not_ afraid of the dark." The boy crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Okay then, why won't you let me turn out the light?" The girl's eyes burned into the boys, daring him to try to prove her wrong.

"…..No reason," The boy muttered, looking away.

"I know the reason. You're scared of the dark, Ling!" She grinned.

"I am not!" Ling yelled, looking embarrassed, "I don't want the light off for….other reasons."

The girl rolled her eyes. "Explain."

"I…." His eyes remained down, examining his bed sheets as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. "I want to see you. I don't want the shadows to cover your face."

Silence followed. An entire minute of complete silence.

"That's a stupid reason," The girl said softly, but she left the light on anyways.

"Thanks," Ling muttered, swallowing.

* * *

It was late, and a boy and a girl lie awake in a big, empty room.

The girl, who looked to be about 15, stood up.

"Where are you going?" The boy asked, sitting up and watching her.

"To turn off the lights," She said quietly as she walked toward the switch.

"Don't," He said softly, "Leave them on."

The girl paused, hand frozen over the light switch.

"Why?" She asked, glancing over at the boy, "You afraid of the dark?" She teased with a grin.

"No," The boy snapped defensively. He smiled slightly.

"It seems like we've been here before," The girl chuckled.

The boy nodded.

"The lights stay on," He whispered.

She nodded and walked back to the bed.

"I love you, Ling," She whispered, crawling in next to him.

"I love you too, Ran Fan."

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**A/N: Reviews=epic. Merry Christmas, Kayleigh.**


	40. We All Need Saving

**A/N: Wow. Yeah, feel free to kill me. I disappeared. Good news, I'm alive! Bad news, you're going to kill me. Oh, well. This life was fun while it lasted. Anyway, I really have no good excuse for being gone. I guess I was preparing for JAMPcon and sort of neglected my writing, and after the Con, I was being poked and prodded by doctors too much to even remember about it. Glory, a lot has happened. I met Travis Willingham, and if you know me, you know how big of a deal that was. Yes, I did get pictures with him, as well as a hug. I also met Vic Mignogna. And became best friends with The Manpower, apparently. We talked to them for like an hour straight. They're awesome, and because they're also my friends, I'll take a couple of seconds of your time to say listen to their music and go see them at a Con, if you ever get the chance. Anyways, here's the late (very, very late) chapter, that probably won't be worth the wait. ^^;**

**Disclaimer: Didn't own it then, don't own it now. Also, the theme is based off a song by Jon McLaughlin, another thing I don't own.**

**We All Need Saving**

Looking back now, he felt guilty.

Hundreds of times, she'd saved him, from all sorts of different threats.

Assasins, the Homunculi, and on more than one occasion, himself.

He'd never even thanked her, much less done anything to return the favor to her. He'd always thought she was simply doing her job, but he was an idiot. No one would sacrifice their arm, their grandfather, for the sake of a job.

He should have guessed her feelings from the beginning.

Should have realized he felt the same.

God, he was an asshole.

Now, she'd probably never want to speak to him again, and he didn't blame her. He'd gone too far this time, and without even realizing he'd done so.

He felt so conceited.

All this time, she'd always been there to save him, and he'd been too damn arrogant to see that she needed saving, too.

Not from physical things, at least not as often as he did, but from invisable things. But just because they were invisable didn't mean they weren't just as dangerous as the physical things she saved him from.

No, come to think of it, they were more dangerous.

He couldn't believe that the one time she needed him to save her, he hadn't been there for her. Instead, he'd gone and made it worse. What had seemed like a meaningless comment had an unbelievable affect on her, and now she was probably gone, never to return.

Now, the conversation played over and over again in his head.

_"I hear you're the official emporer now that your father's gone," she'd said in that quiet, shy voice he'd grown used to over the years._

_"Yeah, isn't it great?" he said, joyously. He'd never been so happy in his life. Which made it even worse when he'd ruined everything._

_"So, what were you planning on, for the country?"_

_"Oh, all sorts of stuff! I hope I can make a difference.."_

_"I know you will." She was always so supportive._

_"Yeah, but as my first order of buisness, I'll need a wife, you know, so I'll have heirs."_

_"Who were you planning on?" Thinking back now, the intent of her question had been obvious, but of course he hadn't seen it at the time._

_"I don't know, my father had a ton of different wives, one from each clan! It'd be fun to follow in his footsteps! I think the first one should be from the Chang clan, since that girl helped us so much in Amestris. She stayed behind, though. Married Alphonse Elric, can you believe it!" He'd said it so nonchalantly, even rambled on afterwords, unaware of what he was really saying._

_"Oh," her voice shook, "The Chang Clan. Of course." To anyone else, it would have sounded like a simple statement, but Ling had known her long enough to know that something was wrong._

_"Should I start somewhere else?"_

_Suddenly, she was glaring at him, tears brimming her eyes._

_"I don't care where you start," she hissed quietly, "And I'm sure you don't care about my opionon, anyways. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm leaving. Now that you're emporer, you'll have plenty of bodyguards, won't you? I can resign." And with that, she left. _

_He had realized his mistake immediantly..._

"Dammit," he muttered, shaking his head. Looking back, he wasn't even sure why he'd said it.

He had no intrest in having as many wives as his father, not really.

He'd learned in Amestris that it was better to be with one person that you loved than a hundred that you didn't.

But he'd chased the only woman he loved away. He didn't even know where she went.

Sighing, he stepped down off his throne and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going, Sir?" Asked a body guard. Not his body guard, at least not the one he wanted right now.

"To visit a friend," He said quietly, not breaking his stride.

"I should co-"

"-No!" Ling broke the guard off mid-sentence. "This is something I need to do alone."

The guard nodded and allowed him to go, having learned long ago that arguing with the young ruler was useless, and he'd simply sneak away later, regardless.

Ling kept walking until, finally, he reached his destination.

A graveyard.

Not a fancy one, like the one where his father was buried, but a simple one.

He headed towards the grave slowly, but stopped in his tracks when he saw someone was already there.

It was her.

Quietly, he walked up behind her and said, "Ran Fan*."

She didn't turn around. "I hear you haven't taken any wives yet. You have a lot of women in line, you know. It would be rude to leave them hanging."

He sighed. "I...Ran Fan, I'm sorry. I was stupid, I know that now. I don't want any of those women. I only want one, just one wife. But I doubt she'd want me, after the idiot I was."

"You're probably right," she said quietly, and his heart sank. "But," she continued, "You never know. Of course, if you were going to ask this girl to marry you, you'd probably have to make it big. Do it like they do in Amestris. On one knee, with a ring. And four words. The place would have to be special, too. Really special."

He smiled slightly.

"Way ahead of you," he whispered, and she turned to face him curiously.

Grinning, he took her hand and kneeled in front of her, on one knee, and pulled a small, white box out of his back pocket.

"Ran Fan," he began, "If you can ever find it in your heart to forgive, then I'm asking you, not telling you, to marry me."

She bit her lip.

"Ling," she said quietly, "Yes."

He cheered and she laughed.

"Did I pick a good enough place?" He asked, sliding the ring onto her finger.

She looked at the gravestone.

"Couldn't have picked a better one. I think my grandfather would have been happy to see such a moment." She glanced over at him. "What made you change your mind?"

He gave her an odd look, as if it should have been obvious.

"You saved me," he said.

She smiled slightly and shook his head.

"No. It was the other way around."

***I know in FMA Brotherhood, her name is Lan Fan, but the first translation I ever read had her as Ran Fan, so I'm sticking to it. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this crappy, super late chapter. Oh, and, surprise! It wasn't super angsty!**


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